Silence Falls
by We're All M-M-Mad Here
Summary: What is the silence? it wasn't the death of the Doctor, it wasn't the creepy grey creatures and it wasn't the end of the universe. the Question Doctor who? was never answered. until now. this is the story of what they silence really is as the ancient question is finally answered, including my OC Clary Fabray.
1. Doctor Who?

Prologue

_Drologue_

_octor who?_

It was truly phenomenal, how the Singing Towers of Darillium shone in the light, emitting that musical sound that made you want to weep at its beauty.

The Doctor stood in the doorway of the Tardis. His face was half blackened from shadow, but you could make out a single tear running down his face as he gazed at the two women a little way away. He had been with them the whole day, showing them around laughing, as he was sure if he didn't he would have cried, just like he was now.

Now it was time to leave them to it, let her tell the story like it was supposed to be told, because after all, they're all stories in the end, but at least she'll make it a good one, just like she always promised.

With that thought firmly in his mind, he turned back into the Tardis, shutting the door softly behind him.

The first of the two women was looking out at the towers, a smile on her face and her brown eyes bright with happiness and awe. She was dressed in a beautiful silver dress, that had a flirty plunging neckline and a skirt that flowed gracefully down to her sparkly back heels. As usual her mass of golden curls was free and wild, just as she liked it.

The second woman was also dressed up, with a Tardis blue silk dress that clung to her body sensually and stopped at the silver sandals on her feet. Her pale blonde hair was pulled back in a fancy twist. However, unlike the other woman she wasn't looking happily at the Singing Towers, instead she was gazing at the woman, her blue eyes filled with heart break, tears falling down her cheeks as she wept.

"Okay Sweetie, time to come clean" the first woman, River Song stated, turning to the other.

"What do you mean?" the blonde woman asked evasively, but making no move to wipe her wet cheeks.

"You're wearing a dress, you never wear dresses. The Doctor has actually been quiet on this trip and left us alone when you asked, something he never does. And look at you, you're crying." River stated with a grim look.

"You think you know us so well?" the woman teased giving a watery chuckle that sounded almost like a sob.

"Yeah" River nodded smugly with a smile, trying to cover up the concern inside her.

The woman was silent for a moment, staring at River carefully, as though trying to memorize every inch of her. How the heels of her shoes were perfectly in line, how graceful she was as she held her Champaign glass, and every single curl in the seemingly never ending hair.

"The ancient question, the oldest question in the universe and is hidden in plain sight. Doctor who?" The woman mused quietly.

"The question has been flying about since the creation of the universe; I've heard it lots of times in my travels." River told her, thinking the woman was just worried about the Doctor, if only she really knew the truth. "Since Gallifrey burned, taking the Time Lords with it, none knew the answer"

"Well that's not actually true. I do" the woman told her and river looked at her in surprise. The woman sighed sadly. "Maybe it's about time the question is answered, so, River Song, Melody Pond, I'm going to tell you a story"

"Oooh, love a good story" River smirked making the woman smile sadly.

"It's the story of me and the Doctor. The way we loved, the way we lost, the way we cared, and the way we hated. But most of all, the way we ran. Oh how we ran. The Doctor had run farther than anyone, he never really stopped." The woman told River with a smile that showed she was lost in a memory.

"What's this got to do with answering the question?" River asked.

"Everything." The woman said as though it was obvious. "The Doctor's name isn't all he is. You have to know everything to really know that man." She paused for a moment before continuing with the story "the story starts on Gallifrey, the city of Kiaria, not far from the Citadel. I was only twenty years old, a full twelve years since I gazed into the Untempered Schism, and let me tell you, if I never see that Schism again it will be too soon. It was the day I was leaving for the Academy, the day I first met the Doctor…"


	2. The Academy

Chapter one

_The Academy_

I braced my hands on my silver wall in front of me, grimacing and wrinkling my freckled nose as my older sister, Brylee, tugged tightly on the strings of my corset. I suddenly jumped slightly and gasped as she gave another particularly harsh tug, pinching my skin.

"Ow" I hissed through my teeth, slapping my sister's hands away and stepping back for good measure.

Brylee rolled her eyes and sat down on my bed.

"Xylleigh, I know you're only fifteen, but suck it up, you're acting like a right Time Tot" Brylee scolded.

I huffed, and folded my arms across my chest as I faced her. I was starting to get irritated with how she acted like mother. Before she regenerated she was childish and giggly, constantly skipping about the manor. However since she had regenerated she was more mature, and as much as I loved her, I was starting to miss hearing her giggles, which surprised me since that annoyed me to.

"I'm not acting like a Time Tot, and you're only two hundred and seven, you've been out of the academy for seven years, you're not allowed to act all…" I tailed off, instead turning towards my mirror and piling my blood red hair, the same colour as the grass that covered Gallifrey, allowing some of the curls to fall into my face.

"Act all what?" Brylee asked, and I was pleased to hear the amused note to her voice, at least she wasn't too serious.

"Grown up" I finished, before turning from the mirror to glare at her when she muttered something in a language I didn't understand. It was harsher than Gallifreyan, less musical and sweet and it didn't seem to roll of the tongue.

I hated it when she spoke in languages she learned at the academy. She often did it with our cousins, mainly when they giggled about cute Time Lords. Seeing as all of my cousins, bar four who were younger, were the same age or older than Brylee, making me feel rather left out.

"What was that?" I demanded, not liking that she could have been insulting me and I would have no idea.

"English" my sister told me shortly and my brows furrowed in confusion at the unknown word.

"Eng-what?" I asked in bewilderment.

"It's one of the languages they speak on Earth" she told me and I looked at her with interest. I remembered her telling me about Earth when she came home from the academy, apparently they look just like us, only they can't regenerate and have no idea about the other life forms across the universe.

"Don't worry you'll be bound to understand it and all the other languages when you're" Brylee continued, before lowering her voice as though what she was to say next was forbidden "Grown up."

I scowled and turned back to the mirror as my sister began to laugh at me, but I felt my lips twitch slightly in a smile, happy that she was laughing.

I was wearing my favourite dress for my first day at the academy. The crushed velvet corset was my favourite shade of purple, the same colour of the Brylee flowers that my sister had named herself after and the white skirt that flowed down to my sandal clad feet was the finest silk made by the Racknoss.

I arched my back slightly as I attempted to tie a gold sash, the same shade as my sandals, in a bow behind my back, hiding where my corset met my skirt.

I sighed in relief when Brylee moved to tie it for me. After she did she rested her hands on my bare shoulders, her tan skin contrasting against my own pearly white complexion, and met my emerald green eyes with her own brown orbs in the mirror.

Before she regenerated Brylee had looked almost exactly like me, only older with blue eyes and more freckles, however now she looked almost completely different. She had midnight black hair that fell in messy waves to her hips, dark skin and deep set brown eyes. I could still see the similarities between us, such as the same strong jaw and button nose, as even in regeneration you still held a resemblance to your family.

Brylee had gotten a job at the TARDIS farms straight from the academy, having got a job straight from the academy since she was inspired by the Untempered Schism. Much to my parents and my own surprise she had come home from work a couple of days ago as she had regenerated from a strong shock from one of the TARDIS matrix's she was growing, one of the few shocks that is actually strong enough to kill a Time Lord.

"Are you ready for this?" Brylee asked softly.

I gave a small humourless laugh and said "no", making her give me a sympathetic smile.

I wasn't that nervous about the classes; after all, even if I were to fail I would probably get a hob since I was inspired. Nearly all of her family was, that was why the Zeta family was revered.

Inspired Time Lords and Ladies saw different things in the Schism. My sister saw the TARDIS' flying through time and space, being one of the few Time Lords that saw TARDIS' as living things rather than machines. My father saw war, the battles between different worlds, even wars between the same species; he now made weapons that were to be distributed to other planets, so he spent a lot of time travelling in his own TARDIS.

I had seen life. I could recall the spinning vortex, the sheer power and size that radiated and pounded itself into my head making my eyes unfocused and my hands shake. My first instinct had been to run as fear made my two hearts speed up. However I stayed, I looked longer, I saw the planets forming, bit by bit, stars being born, plants growing and people evolving. I saw life.

I was nervous about making friends. I wasn't used to people around my own age as my mother preferred me to staying in the manor and on the families estates. However that didn't stop me from getting into trouble, I often got scolded for dirtying my dresses. I liked to go to the farthest part of the estates where the red grass faded into gold, the only ground Brylee flowers grew, the purple petals contrasting against the gold. I loved sitting amongst the flowers and looking at the red desserts in the distance, and the snow tipped mountains shining under the red sun, and the moon sparkling in the burnt orange sky so bright it could be seen in the day as the second sun began to set in the south.

"It's time to go" I soft voice said behind me and I jumped, spinning around at the same time as my sister.

My mother was standing in the doorway, her grey hair pulled into a bun, the same colour as her silver robes.

"Mama, you almost gave us a hearts attack" Brylee wined as she held a hand to her chest and I nodded in agreement.

Our mother chuckled slightly "Come on, Xylleigharna, it's time to leave" she told me before leaving, Brylee following her.

I sighed and moved to follow, but stopped in my doorway. I looked over at my room, sad that it would be a long time since I saw It again, as it would be another ten years before I could visit for a couple of days.

The room was rather bare, my things having already been taken to the academy. My mattress was shed of my purple silk duvet, the red bookcase was empty and the doors to my gold wardrobe were open to reveal that it was empty of all my clothes.

I sighed again, before turning away and going towards the sound of my mother and sister.

LINE BREAK

I walked nervously down the third first year hallway, looking at ach colour coded door, search for the orange one that I had been told was mine. I had passed a green, blue and silver door before I finally reached the bright orange one at the end of the hallway.

I took a deep breath as I stared at the door leaning away slightly as though something would jump out at any moment.

I had a few minutes to get to know my roommate before classes start, her things having already been put in the room and since Time Lords only needed the minimum of two hours sleep every other day, classes could start straight away and more could fit into a day. I was scared that my roommate wouldn't like me, as I was going to have to share a room with them for the next one hundred and eighty years.

I made an effort to calm my hearts and quickly pushed the door open.

The room wasn't too bad, but nothing compared to my room back hoe. The walls were a pale blue, with a bed with my own purple bedspread, a white desk, white wardrobe and a bookshelf that already contained all my books.

The other side of the room had the same furniture, except that the bookshelf was packed tightly with books, so much even that a few were piled on the desk and others on the side of the bed. The bedspread was a burnt orange, the same shade as the sky outside, and small silver leaved trees bordering the seams.

"Hi!" a bubbly voice exclaimed suddenly making me freeze in the doorway feeling like I was trespassing, it would take a while to get used to the fact that this was now her room. He roommate had just exited their shared bathroom "I'm Tatia Luna"

Tatia was a few inches shorter than me, with a heart shaped face and a bright smile that made her chocolate brown eyes light up behind her round framed glasses. Her dirty blonde hair was tied into two messy buns and she was wearing a loose fitted white dress with a blue sash at her waist.

"Hello" I replied, hesitantly stepping further into the room and closing the door behind me. "I'm Xylleigharna Zeta, but you can call me Xylleigh"

"Are you really?" Tatia gasped, her brown eyes widening "I've read all about your family in…" she grabbed a couple of history books off of her desk and held them up for me to see "these books, you're family have the highest rate of inspired Time Lords and Ladies. I was inspired too, I saw all the knowledge of the world and how all the different races strive for knowledge, o think it was probably because I love learning so much, but it gave me a better aptitude for school work so that's good. Were you inspired? Duh, of course you were. What did you see in the Untempered Schism?" Tatia said all this really quickly not once pausing for breather, making me blink in surprise as I tried to process what she had said.

"Urm…yeah I was inspired and I saw…I guess you could say I saw life" I said slowly and Tatia tilted her head to the size curiously.

"I'll show you" I said quickly and blushed slightly before grabbing the yellow Doxy flower off of the window ledge by Tatia's bed "I can see every step in this plants life, how its started out as a seed, before germinating and slowly growing towards the biggest of the two suns and then beginning to bloom and grow leaves. I can see it, and I can change it" I allowed my hand to hover over the plant and shuddered as I felt adrenaline course through my veins and released a blue energy from my fingertips until the flower slowly grew to twice its side.

"Wow. I can't believe it getting a power is so rare." Tatia said in awe making me blush, I had always hated how since I had such pale skin my blushed were so obvious. "I've read about them, people have gotten different powers depending on how they were inspired" she continued happily.

I looked at my roommate with raised brows. I didn't think anybody could get that excited about what they had read in a book. I suspected that she was that eager to talk about everything they've learnt, which was probably everything.

I wasn't sure how to respond, not having read that many books on the subject so I instead looked out the window at the positions of the two suns and the only moon that was visible during the day to check the time.

"It's time to go" I concluded and if it was possible I could have sworn Tatia's grin grew even wider, probably at the prospect of gaining more knowledge.

The school day was made up of twelve one hour lessons. The first four were the history of different planets and their cultures. We had learned about Earth, Mars and Raxicoricofallapatorious. I had spent the majority of the lesson doodling a TARDIS console on my page, imagining what it would be like to pilot my very own.

The next two lessons were about how Time Lords were supposed to look over time and space, watching but never interfering, a concept I didn't exactly like as I would much rather be out there doing something.

The next four were learning different languages, which much to my relief I was picking up fairly easily. I found the language of the Judoon the most difficult since a lot of the words were similar with most of the same letters.

I had spent most of my time throughout the day daydreaming and copying off of Tatia, who was hanging onto the professors' every word and eagerly scribbling down notes faster than I even thought was possible.

Finally, it was the last two lessons of the day, which was mechanics, and learning how to build different objects. Today they were learning to make a scanner that picks up Huon particles.

I was paired with Tatia, which was probably lucky since she had listened to the instruction thoroughly, rather than fading in and out like I had while looking at the red fields out the window. However I had accidently snapped one of the wires when I got lost in thought so that Tatia now slapped my hands away whenever I tried to help.

"What title do you think you're going to pick in the naming ceremony at the end of the academy?" Tatia asked as she fused two wires together. "I was thinking something like, the learner or maybe Doxy, you know, like the flower"

"I'm not sure yet, my parents reckon I should go with 'the Dreamer' since I daydream so much, so probably that" I said as I absentmindedly began to draw a Racknoss on a spare page "my older sister is like you, she chose Brylee since she loves the flowers so much, she works on a TARDIS farm"

I was vaguely aware of Tatia talking, but I just pretended to listen as I added more shading to the Racknoss' pincers, it wasn't that hard, as all I had to do was nodded when she paused for breath, which wasn't very often. I began to get lost in another dream, just as I often did. I imagined travelling to a different plant in my very own TARDIS saving civilisations from the Racknoss who were eating and eating, just like they always did.

A couple of boys began to argue at the next desk over, causing the haziness in my brain to lesson slightly.

"Give it here, you're doing it wrong!" a black haired boy snapped.

"No Koshei, I'm doing it fine it's just-let go!" a brown haired boy shouted back, trying to pull the wires back off the other.

I pulled myself out of my head just in time to see a group of tangled wires fly passed my head and onto mine and Tatia's unfinished devise. I paused in shock for a moment before Tatia and I screamed, jumping back and holding onto each other tightly as the device and wires exploded.

I released my grip of Tatia and stared open mouthed at the charred remains of our table and the burnt chair.

I turned wide eyes to look at the boys. The brown haired boy was running a hand through his hair, making it more unruly than it already was and his almond shaped brown eyes were looking from the desk back to Tatia and I nervously. The other boy, Koshei, had black hair that contrasted greatly against his white skin and striking blue eyes. His lips were twitching slightly as he looked at his friend's apologetic look, as though he was resisting the urge to laugh.

"Urm…sorry?" the brown hair boy said making it seem more like a question as he gave a sheepish smile.

"Sorry?" I asked in disbelief, my cheeks beginning to redden slightly from anger "You just blew up our work and desk and all you can say is sorry?"

"Urm…well, you can have our desk?" the boy said and it came out as a question again.

Koshei's restraint seemed to finally run out and he released a bark like laugh, momentarily stopping his four beat tapping on the desk that I suddenly remembered hearing him do in history class too.

I looked at him with raised brows. I couldn't believe he was laughing about this. If this had happened it my house I would be getting punished right now and I would never have the nerve to laugh. I just couldn't understand what was funny, our desk and our work were gone and it was their fault.

Tatia seemed to be thinking along the same lines as me as she was glaring furiously at Koshei, now and again sparing an angry glance at the other boy.

As much as I disliked Koshei for laughing I couldn't help but feel it was mainly the other boys fault as he was the one who didn't make the device properly in the first place.

"Are you laughing?" Tatia screeched at Koshei and I looked down at her in surprise, it was weird to hear such an angry voice come from a person as bubbly as her "Our work is gone, it's your entire fault and you are laughing? I can't believe you!"

"Oh, come on" Koshei rolled his eyes "It's not that big of a deal, it's just school"

I shook my head that was definitely the wrong thing to say to Tatia to get her to calm down. I had only known her for a day but one thing I know about her for certain is that school and learning is very important to her.

I couldn't help the small smug smile appearing on my lips as Tatia narrowed her brown eyes. They were about to get it, and they deserved it since they didn't even apologize sincerely.

"What?!" Tatia hissed "You-you-" she then muttered a few Gallifreyan curses that made my eyes widen in surprise and a faint blush to appear on my cheeks, not used to that kind of language in my upper class family.

Koshei smirked and gave a low whistle.

"Ladies shouldn't talk like that" Koshei told her mockingly.

I narrowed my own eyes, annoyed that he wasn't showing that he was affected by our anger at all. Tatia's own face reddened and I was sure if it was possible her eyes would have narrowed further.

"You know, he has a point" the other boy put in, making Koshei's smirk to widen at his friends support.

I turned to the other boy, my eyes flashing angrily, and felt a sick pleasure when he gulped nervously seeing that I was affecting him.

I got distracted from my glaring, which I suspected was a relief to the brown haired boy as he stopped his uncomfortable shifting, when Tatia looked between the two friends before launching herself at them with an angry growl. I lurched forward quickly and grabbed the back of Tatia's dress to make her stop as I strongly suspected she would have tried to strangle them.

The boys stepped back in surprise, clearly not expecting such a violent outburst from the small girl.

"You four to Professor Borusa's office" The professor, the hunter, snapped at us, and Tatia and I glared at the two Time Lords the whole way to the office.


	3. The Unquiet Dead

Chapter two

_The unquiet dead_

I watched as the small theatre began to fill with people. Women in beautiful dresses and men dressed in their finest suits, all here just to listen to Mr Dickens read.

I had worked for Mr Dickens for eight years now, I had seen him go from a brilliant man who was inspired by so many things and enjoyed writing, before watching him turn into an old cynical man that could no longer see just how brilliant he really is.

I just don't understand how he could not see how many people loved his books when you could see so many people coming in just to listen to him read.

I smoothed down my green dress and adjusted the lighter green over skirt slightly. I wasn't used to wearing dresses like this, as it was only on rare occasions that I had to dress up and go to a reading with Mr Dickens as I as just a servant girl. I had borrowed this particular dress from another one of the actor's richer servants, I wasn't sure who she was, but based on the amount of cleavage it showed I was sure whoever she was got around a bit.

"Clarissa, Clarissa!" a male voice called behind me and I hiked up my skirt slightly so I could turn quickly without tripping on my dress, to see the stage director rushing up to me "We're ready for Mr Dickens"

"Lewis, I have told you a thousand times that you may call me Clary" I told him with a small smiled "and I shall go and tell him right away"

Lewis gave me a quick smile before running off back stage.

I turned and made my way to Mr Dickens' dressing room. I had worked for him for a long time now, ever since I was twelve years old when my parents perished from the Black Death. When I found them dead in their bedroom I travelled to Cardiff where I ran into Mr Dickens and he was kind enough to give me a job.

I carefully knocked on the dressing room door, and waited for a moment before entering.

"Mr Dickens, this is your call" I told him, but he didn't appear to be listening as he continued to stare at a piece of paper in front of him. "Are you quite well?" I asked feeling rather concerned for my master.

"Splendid, splendid, sorry" Mr Dickens said absentmindedly, not looking up.

I frowned. I knew he wasn't okay, I had known him for eight years now and I could easily tell when something was bothering him. Of course I didn't voice my thoughts, I had often gotten into trouble for saying something a respectable lady wouldn't, sometimes I just couldn't help myself. Now and again it felt like I was out of my element, even though I had lived here for so long.

"Time you're on, sir" I told him firmly, hoping to get through his hazy mind.

"Absolutely. You know me Clary, I was just brooding. Christmas Eve. Not the best time to be alone. Mr Dickens told me and I felt sympathy for the man, I knew what it was like to be lonely, the only person I could consider family was Gwyneth, who I had gone to school with when I was younger and now works as a servant for Mr Sneed. "Ah well, it hardly matters. Thank God I'm too old to cause any more trouble"

"You speak as though it is all over, sir" I told him with furrowed brows, it was almost as though he had resigned himself to having nothing to look forward to.

"Not, it's never over." Mr Dickens shook his head dismally "On and on I go: the same old show. I'm like a ghost condemned to repeat myself for all eternity."

"You shouldn't talk like that, sir" I told him, feeling sad that that was the way he thought "Life is precious, everything is important. Not to mention, it's never too late, sir. You can always think up some new turns"

"No I can't" Mr Dickens disagreed "even my imagination grows stale. I'm an old man. Perhaps I've thought everything I'll ever think"

I shook my head sadly. How could anyone think like that? Let alone Mr Dickens. Most people went about their lives doing nothing but working, eating and sleeping, just trying to survive. But Mr Dickens had written stories, stories that had touched and been heard by so many people, and probably so many more to come.

"I'm afraid that's too sad for me to accept, sir." I spoke up before I could stop myself "Life is too cruel. If there is never anything new, never a better day tomorrow, I do not believe I would want to love"

Mr Dickens was silent for a moment, seemingly mulling over my words as he scratched his bearded face.

"The lure of the limelight's as potent as a pipe, what? Eh? On with the motley" he said abruptly, and left the dressing room and headed towards the stage.

I heaved a sigh before following, knowing I had not made any difference to Mr Dickens' view on life. He has such a brilliant mind, such a brilliant imagination, if only he had a little more faith and a little more hope, all would be well.

When I left I moved to stand at the back of the small theatre and watched Mr Dickens read with a soft smile. How he couldn't see how wonderful he truly is was beyond me, I could see it from just looking around at everyone else watching him, all listening to him speak with bated breath.

"Now, it is a fact that there was nothing particular at all about the knocker on the door of this house, but let any man explain to me if he can, how it happened that Scrooge, having his key in the lock of the door, saw in the knocker, without its undergoing any intermediate process of change, not a knocker, but Marley's face. Marley's face! It looked at Scrooge how Marley used to look. It looked like-" Mr Dickens suddenly stopped and gasped, making my brown eyes to narrow in confusion as he exclaimed "oh, my lord. It looked like that!" and pointed into the audience.

I slowly followed Mr Dickens' pointing at the same time as the rest of the audience and I gasped as my heart beat began to quicken fearfully. What is this? This was not planned. It was not? Was it a trick? An illusion? It certainly appeared to be real, but logic told me it couldn't be.

An old woman in the audience was on her feet, an eerie blue glow around her, filling her blank eyes, and her skin was ghostly pale. She looked…she looked dead.

"What phantasmagoria is this?" I heard Mr Dickens exclaim in horror, as I continued to stare at the old woman with wide eyes.

The audience seemed to only just realise that the old woman was not a part of the plan for the reading as a few of the woman let out screams. Everyone quickly jumped to their feet and scrambled to run for the exit. I looked about wildly as I got bustled out with them, unable to make my way back inside to Mr Dickens.

Over the top of everyone's heads I was just able to see a blue as entity leave the corpse looking woman as she opened her mouth in a silent scream and she fell to the floor, dead.

I was pushed out of the building and into the cold winter air, everyone running around me, slipping slightly on the icy snow that blanketed the ground.

"Will everyone please remain calm!" I called out loudly as I ran further up the street to be able to talk to everyone "Running is not helping anything!" I added as I helped a young man who had slipped on the ice in his panic, but as soon as he got to his feet he continued to run with everyone else.

I sighed in relief as I heard a police whistle, hoping they would be able to restore the calm. However, my relief was short lived as I heard a young woman's panicked voice.

"She's cold. She's dead! What'd you do to her?" The woman's voice demanded.

I whirled around quickly, just in time to watch a man, who I knew to be Mr Sneed, Gwyneth's boss, cover the woman's mouth with a cloth of some sort, before she stopped struggling and passed out. I rushed forward when I saw the dark haired maid, Gwyneth; help Mr Sneed put the unknown woman in the back of the carriage.

"Gwyneth? What in heavens is going on?" I cried as I looked at the poor blonde woman, who was lying next to the corpse from the theatre.

Gwyneth shot a panicked look at Mr Sneed over my shoulder before turning to me with apologetic eyes, making my dark brows furrow.

"Clary, oh I'm so, so, sorry. Forgive me for this" Gwyneth told me, and before I could ask her to elaborate, I felt Mr Sneed grab me around the middle and the same cloth that was used on the blonde woman, was pressed over my own nose and mouth.

I fought with Mr Sneed's grip as hard as I could, kicking out and pleasing with Gwyneth with wide brown eyes, but my friend looked away.

I held my breath as long as I could, but my lungs began to burn and I could help but take a breath in, the strong chemical smell on the cloth filling my nose. My movements became sluggish, and I became slower and slower, my limbs feeling like they were getting weighed down. My eyelids became heavier and I fought to keep them open for as long as I could before they finally slid shut and I felt myself getting put into the back of the carriage as everything went black.

***PAGE BREAK***

I felt a pounding in my head as I slowly came to, but my limbs felt like they were made of stone and my eyelids were too heavy, to fully wake up.

"-ight? Are you alright?" I heard a female voice asked me and I felt a tingling sensation throughout my body as I began to regain feeling in my body.

My brown eyes snapped open and I quickly sat up. my head came into contact with something hard and a groaned, a curse falling from my lips as I gripped my head, and I heard the woman who woke me up groan in pain also.

"What did you do that for then?" I asked the woman, getting rather snappy in my bad mood, not like that I had been knocked out, kidnapped and then head-butted.

Based on how she was dressed, the woman appeared to be rather high up in society. She was wearing a blood red dress with a black trim and a matching lack shawl. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a fancy twist, unlike my own chocolate brown curls that were falling around my tan shoulders.

"Well I didn't do it on purpose, did I?" The blonde woman glared, rubbing her forehead.

"I don't know, do I? Do you normally make a habit of standing over unconscious people?" I asked, still feeling rather annoyed at the whole situation.

I got to my feet and put a head to my head as I sway slightly, before managing to steady myself as the dizziness calmed down. I straightened my green dress and adjusted my brown curls, the hair pin that had originally held back the curls that stopped it from falling into my face having been lost.

I was about to apologize for my behaviour now that I felt slightly better, before I looked over the woman's shoulder with wide eyed, taking a step backwards towards where the door was. The woman seemed to notice my attention shift as she whirled around before gasping and repeating my movement of backing away.

The corpse of the old woman from the theatre and another one of a man were both sitting up in a coffin, the same eerie blue flow surrounding them and filling their dead eyes.

"Are you alright?" the blonde woman asked the two creepy corpses nervously.

"Of course they're not alright they're dead" I snapped fearfully, backing myself up a bit further as they climbed out of the coffins and started to make their way towards us.

My heart beat erratically.

This couldn't be happening. This just wasn't possible. The dead were…well dead, logic dictates that they didn't just start walking around again. I knew that Gwyneth had told me things at work had gotten hectic lately, but this is the last thing I would have suspected.

"You're kidding me, yeah?" the woman asked me almost pleadingly, but I didn't answer, just continuing to stare at the moving corpses, hoping against hope that the blonde girl was right and it was just some kind of trickery.

"You're kidding us, aren't you?" the woman asked the corpses this time.

The corpses continued to walk stiffly towards them.

"Okay, definitely not kidding" I gasped, gripping the unknown woman's hand a pulling her quickly towards the door.

I pulled on the knob, but the door reduced to budge: it was locked. I looked quickly over my shoulder at the advancing corpses and knocked desperately on the door. Not only were they stuck in a room with the walking dead, but there was no way out. I hated feeling trapped, it felt as though the walls were closing in, and my chest constricted slightly.

"Let us out!" the blonde girl cried, slapping her hand against the wooden door.

"Please, please, somebody! Gwyneth! Mr Sneed!" I shouted, banging my fist against the door, my eyes wide and fearful, and my heart feeling like it could beat out of my chest. "Let us out!"

I turned, my breathes coming in gasps, as I pressed my back against the door, watching the corpses getting closer and closer.

"If we are to die here, I would at least like to know your name" I gasped out as I squeezed the woman's hand tightly.

"Rose Tyler" the girl choked out with a small smile.

"I'm Clary Fabray" I replied, trying to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace as the corpses were almost directly in front of us.

Rose turned to bang on the door again, shouting in annoyance when no one came.

"Open the door!" I screamed.

I squirmed further back against the door as the male corpse came to close for comfort. Not that anything about the situation was comfortable, but I much preferred it when the dead were only the other side of the room.

"Please, please, let us out!" Rose cried desperately, banging on the door with her fist "Let us out! Somebody open the door! Open the door!"

I hurriedly pulled Rose closer to me as the corpse of the old woman went to grab her when her back was turned.

Suddenly the door burst open and a stranger stood in the doorway. He was wearing a rather ghastly grey sweater, trousers tighter than she had ever seen on a respectable man, but he was rather handsome, even though his nose and ears seemed slightly too big for his face.

"I think this is my dance" the man said sarcastically and grabbed Rose, who in turn grabbed me, and we were both pulled from the room, and I sighed in relief as I stood behind Rose and the man, Mr Dickens, Mr Sneed and Gwyneth behind us.

"It's a prank. It must be. We're under some mesmeric influence" Mr Dickens said firmly.

I frowned, looking at him disbelievingly. For a man who had such an amazing imagination, able to create such wonderful stories, he was certainly rather closed minded in his old age. I found myself wishing for the man I had met when I was younger, who was happy and looked upon the world with bright eyes.

"No, we're not. The dead are walking." The man said confidently and I couldn't help but admire how calm and collected he was in this situation, especially since my hands began to shake slightly as I stared at the two corpses.

"Hi" the man said with a grin, turning to Rose, so I guessed they must know each other.

"Hi" Rose grinned back, the obvious relief showing in her eyes, clearly this man kept her safe, perhaps he was her husband, although there were no wedding bands on their fingers so I doubted it. "Who's your friend?" she asked glancing at Mr Dickens.

"Charles Dickens" the man said shortly.

"Okay" Rose breathed.

"My name's the Doctor" the man told me, and I felt a niggling in the back of my mind as though the title was familiar, but for the life of me I couldn't think why, so I shook it off.

"Clary Fabray" I replied, still slightly breathless as I looked at the walking corpses warily.

"Who are you then?" The Doctor asked the corpses "What do you want?"

The old woman opened her mouth and I shivered as the corpse talked with many voices. "Failing. Open the rift. We're drying. Trapped in this form. Cannot sustain. Help us." The corpse then let out a high pitched scream and blue gas left both corpses causing them to collapse.

Mr Sneed led Rose, The Doctor and Mr Dickens through to the parlour, so I stayed behind and when down to the kitchen to help Gwyneth make the tea, borrowing a spare apron to tie around my waist.

"Gwyneth, if you truly are my friend, please tell me what's going on, because I was drugged and tapped with…the lord only knows what" I pleaded quietly as we carried the tear towards the Parlour.

"The dead started walking, we don't know why, they just…" Gwyneth trailed off, shaking her head and moved to put the tea on the coffee table and I mirrored her actions.

I sighed and took a seat on the chair behind Rose, who had her hands on her hips and was glaring with angry blue eyes at Mr Sneed.

"First of all you drug me, then you kidnap me, and don't think I didn't feel your ands having a quick wander you dirty old man" Rose shouted at Mr Sneed, and I hid a smile behind my hand, happy to see that he was getting told off for what he did.

"I won't be spoken to like this!" Mr Sneed snapped angrily, but Rose ignored him.

"And if that aint enough, you swan off and leave us to die! So come on, talk!" Rose commanded, crossing her arms over her chest.

I looked at her curiously. She seemed to be dressed as though she was upper class, and she certainly appeared to have the breeding, but the way she talked. Rose was like some kind of wild thing!

"It's not my fault" Mr Sneed said defensively "it's this house. It always had a reputation. Haunted" Mr Sneed told her.

I nodded in understanding, ever since I was little there was a rumour going around that it was hurting. The lads in the neighbourhood used to dare each other into getting closer or even going inside.

"But I never had much bother until a few months back" Mr Sneed continued "and them stiffs-" I glared at his disrespect to the dead, before they had died they were real living people with a life and a family and they should be treated accordingly. He clearly noticed my expression as he cleared his throat "the err, dearly departed started getting restless"

"Tommyrot" Mr Dickens scoffed.

"But sir, I was there, I was in the room. It was no illusion, I-" I tried to tell him, but Mr Dickens cut me off, clearly not believe me.

"Enough, Clary" Mr Dickens snapped.

"But, sir-" I tied to protest again, but Mr Dickens stopped me again.

"Clary, I was nice enough to take you in, I could easily send you right back out" Mr Dickens told me and I fell silent, letting my brown eyes drop to the floor, remembering my place. It seemed that being around the strange out spoken Rose was getting to me.

"You witnessed it!" Mr Sneed cried at Mr Dickens "can't keep the beggars down, sir. They walk. Ad it's the queerest thing, but they hang onto scraps."

"Two sugars, sir, just the way you like it" I heard Gwyneth tell the Doctor as she placed his cup of tea on the mantel piece.

I noticed the Doctor eyeing Gwyneth strangely, before looking at the tear, probably wondering how she could possibly know how he took his tea without telling her. I met Gwyneth's nervous eyes and gave her a reassuring smile, I doubted the Doctor would jump to a conclusion that she had 'the gift' and could see things and know things that weren't possible.

"One old fellow who used to be a sexton almost walked into his own memorial service. Just like the old lady going to your performance, sir, just as she planned" Mr Sneed continued, trying to get Mr Dickens to see, but I doubted he would get through to him.

"Morbid fancy" Mr Dickens denied, confirming my doubt.

"Oh, Charles, you were there" The Doctor sighed, and I would see in his old eyes, eyes that seemed older than they could be and more familiar than they should, disappointment.

"I saw nothing but an illusion" Mr Dickens told the Doctor firmly, giving a small glare.

"If you're going to deny it, don't waste my time. Just shut up." the Doctor snapped in annoyance, and I looked at him in surprise, no one talked to Mr Dickens like that, at least not in the eight years I worked for him.

"What about the gas?" The Doctor asked Mr Sneed.

"That's new, sir. Never seen anything like it" Mr Sneed shook his head, and I glanced at the gas lamps with a frown.

"Means it's getting stronger, the rift's getting wider and something's sneaking through" The Doctor stated, as though we should understand what he was saying.

I glanced around at the others and was pleased to see that they looked confused too. At least I wasn't the only one who was lost on his explanation.

"What's the rift?" Rose asked and I looked at the Doctor awaiting his answer.

"A weak point in time and space: a connection between this place and another. That's the cause of the ghost stories, most of the time" The Doctor explained and Rose nodded, seeming to understand, but I was just as confused as before, the way he spoke…it was like nothing of this world.

"That's how I got the house so cheap. Storied going back generations" Mr Sneed nodded.

I jumped suddenly as I heard the front door in the hallway slam shut. I looked about to see that Mr Dickens had left and I sighed, wishing he could see that it doesn't matter what age you are, you have never seen, heard, or thought everything you can.

"Echoes in the dark, queer songs in the air and this feeling like a shadow passing over your soul" Mr Sneed said, making me shiver at his wording "Mind you, truth be told, it's been good for business. Just what people expect from a gloomy old trade like mine"

As everyone else continued to talk, I went back down to the pantry and helped Gwyneth light the gas lamps about the small room, as, much to our surprise, Rose began to do the dishes. She had never in her life seen a lady do servants work.

"Please, miss, you shouldn't be helping" I said, trying to take the plate from Rose's hand, but she slapped me away.

"Please, miss, it's not right" Gwyneth added, biting her lip and looking towards the door as though she expected Mr Sneed to come down and scold her any second.

"Don't be daft" Rose said airily "Sneed works you to death. How much do you get paid?"

"Eight pounds a year, miss" Gwyneth told her with a small smile, and I would be smiling too if I earned that much.

"How much?" Rose asked in shock, so assumed she must be thinking along the same lines as me.

"I know. She's lucky she is, I only get five, but Mr Dickens offers me a place to stay so I can't complain" I said, nudging Gwyneth's shoulder with mine teasingly, making her blush slightly.

"So did you two got to school or what?" Rose asked, looking between the two of us.

My brows lifted, not expecting her to ask such a thing. Of course we went to school. I wonder how she must see us if she even had to act, she must think we're stupid.

"Of course we did" Gwyneth said affronted and I nodded my head in agreement, feeling rather offended that Rose even had to ask.

"What do you think we are, urchins?" I asked "We went every Sunday, good and proper"

"What, once a week?" Rose asked in the same hocked voice she had used when Gwyneth told her how much she made.

Sirs and Lady's went to school much more often than we did, often going up to here days a week, I supposed Rose must have thought we did the same, obviously not knowing much about Servants' lives. I wasn't too surprise to know that, Ladies aren't interested in the servants.

"Yes, miss. We are lucky to live in this area. who knows what sort of education we'd have had elsewhere" Gwyneth told Rose "We did sums and everything"

I shared a glance with Gwyneth and gave Rose a small smile as we both recalled out school days.

"To be honest, we hated every second of it" I told Rose in a hushed voice.

"Me too" Rose laughed.

I had never met anyone quite like Rose, she seemed to not mind when you spoke your mind, found it natural even, and I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. I was pretty sure I liked it though.

"Don't tell anyone, but one week, we didn't go at all" Gwyneth told Rose, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes that I hadn't seen since we were in school and we passed notes instead of working "we went and ran on the heath instead"

"I did plenty of that" Rose laughed again, it seemed she did that a lot which was unusual for a Lady, I was passed being surprise by what Rose said, I was starting to think that she wasn't a Lady at all, but then again she didn't act like a servant either. "I used to go down the shops with my mate Shareen. We used to go and look at boys"

"Well, I don't know about that, miss" Gwyneth blushed and I nodded in agreement, rather sadly, I would rather like to meet a nice man who I could love and start a family with.

"Come on" Rose rolled her blue eyes "Times haven't changed that much" I tilted my head to the side, that was something I had only heard elderly people say, which was odd, considering Rose looked to be younger than us. "I bet you've done the same"

"I don't think so, miss" Gwyneth shook her head.

"She has" I corrected, giving Gwyneth a teasing smile "I sometimes catch her looking at the Butcher's boy"

"Oh really?" Rose said to Gwyneth using the same teasing tone I had "Well, you've got to tell me now"

"He comes by every Tuesday" Gwyneth said, a faint blush on her cheeks "such a lovely smile on him.

"I like a nice smile" I told Gwyneth and Rose dreamily.

I wonder if the man I would someday meet will have a nice smile? I hope so. I pictured him as a very tall, handsome man, someone who could protect and love me, make me feel safe.

"Good smile and a nice bum" Rose winked and I gasped.

"Well, I have never seen the like" Gwyneth shook her head in disbelief.

"Ask him out" Rose shrugged and I stared at her wide eyes at the face she didn't notice mine and Gwyneth's reactions to what he said.

I knew Rose wasn't from Cardiff, that much was obvious, but she would certainly like to visit wherever it was she was from, as it seemed women could talk and act however they liked there.

"Give him a cup of tea or something, it's a start" Rose continued.

"I sweat it's the strangest thing, miss" Gwyneth shook her head, a small smile on her lips.

Rose gave Gwyneth a questioning look, so I decided to explain for my friend.

"You've got all the clothes and the breeding, but you talk like some sort of wild thing" I told Rose with a small chuckle.

"Maybe I am" Rose smiled "Maybe that's a good thing. You need a bit more in your lives than Mr Sneed and Mr Dickens"

"Mr Dickens isn't so bad" I said, slightly defensive "he was kind enough to take me in when I lost my mum and dad to black death when I was twelve, and Gwyneth ad I have each other"

Gwyneth nodded in agreement.

"It's the same with Mr Sneed, miss. He took me in when my mum and dad died of the flu a while back" Gwyneth explained.

"Oh, I'm sorry" Rose said, looking between the two of us with a sympathetic, somewhat guilty look.

"Thank you, miss" I replied.

"We'll be with them again, one day, sitting with our parents in paradise. We shall both be so blessed" Gwyneth explained, giving me a small smile "They're waiting for us. Maybe your dad's up there waiting for you too, miss"

"Maybe" Rose whispered, before she looked up sharply at Gwyneth.

I bit my lip, realising that yet again Gwyneth had pointed out something she shouldn't know. It got them in all sorts of trouble when they were younger, people accusing her of spying on them.

"Who told you he was dead?" Rose asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"I-I don't know" Gwyneth stuttered, her brown eyes looking to me for help.

"It must have been the Doctor" I put in, in what I hoped was a nonchalant voice as I tried to brush Rose off.

"Mr Father died years back" Rose sighed, and I wasn't sure whether she believed that the Doctor had said something to Gwyneth or she was just choosing to ignore it.

"But you've been thinking about him lately more than ever" Gwyneth pointer out, and I nudged her, telling her to be quiet.

"I suppose so" Rose said slowly "How do you know all this?"

I turned towards Gwyneth, waiting for her answer. I was wondering whether she understood it more yet, or when she actually had the sight like Gwyneth's mum always used to tell her she did.

"Mister Sneed says I think too much" Gwyneth told Rose and I scoffed slightly, doing a lot of thinking doesn't make you know things that logic says you shouldn't. "When Clary's not visiting, I'm all alone down here. I bet you've got dozens of servants haven't you, miss?"

"No, no servants where I'm from" Rose told us.

"I think I would very much like to visiting where you are from, miss. No servants and where a woman may act like such a wild thing" I told her, picturing what it would be like to be able to do whatever a want, with no man saying I couldn't.

"Oh, but it's such a long way" Gwyneth told me, somewhat sadly.

And I nodded, giving her a smile. I don't think I would ever go somewhere without Gwyneth, I could never leave her. If I were to go, I would take her with me.

"What makes you think so?" Rose asked Gwyneth suspiciously.

"You're from London. I've seen London in drawings, but never like that. All those people rushing about half naked, for shame. And the noise, and the metal boxes racing past, and the birds in the sky, no, they're metal as well. Metal birds with people in them. People are flying. And you, you've flown so far. Further than anyone. The things you've seen. The impending darkness, the big bad wolf" Gwyneth seemed to catch herself under the wide eyes of me and Rose "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, miss"

I had been listening carefully to everything Gwyneth was saying, that world sounded impossible. It sounded like another planet, nothing like the world now. She had gotten that niggling again towards the end, at the words 'impending darkness'. The words made her feel many things, fear, shame, pride, vengefulness. However she had no idea why she would feel such things. She had never heard the words before.

"It's alright" Rose said with a hesitant smile.

"She can't help it." I said, feeling the need to defend my friend "Ever since she was a little girl and she told me about it when we became friends. Her mum used to say she had the sight and to hide it. The only reason she told me is that we decided friends should not keep secrets from one another"

"But it's getting stronger, more powerful, is that right?" The Doctor's voice said suddenly, making me jump and whirl around, putting a hand on my heart in surprise.

"All the time, sir. Every night, voices in my head." Gwyneth said and I squeezed her hand comfortingly.

"You grew up on top of the rift" The Doctor explained, coming further into the room. "You're part of it. You're the key"

"She tried to make sense of it, sir" I put in "I took her to spiritualists, the rappers, all sorts"

"Well, that should help. You can show us what to do" the Doctor grinned.

I looked at the strange man warily, for some reason I seemed to recognise that grin. Seemed to recognise it and know that he had come up with some insane plan that could only mean trouble.

***PAGE BREAK***

I sat in between Gwyneth and Mr Dickens at the table in the parlour and looked around wearily, half expecting a ghost to pop out at any moment. I wasn't sure if summoning the ghosts was such a good idea, I didn't know why, but I felt as though nothing good could come of it.

"This is how Madam Mortlock summons those from the land of Mists down in bug town" Gwyneth told the Doctor "Come, we must all join hands"

I gripped Gwyneth's hand nervously in mine and turned to Mr Dickens, but he didn't hold out his hand for me to hold.

"I can't take part in this" Mr Dickens said firmly.

"Humbug? Come on, open mind" The Doctor told him and then nodded towards me.

I took the hint and hurriedly grabbed Mr Dickens' hand before he could protest, Mr Sneed doing the same with his other hand.

"This is precisely the cheap mummery I strive to unmask. Séances? Nothing but luminous tambourines and a squeeze box concealed between the knees. The girl knows nothing." Mr Dickens scoffed.

I pressed my lips together in a thin line, not liking how he was talking about my best friend.

"With all due respect, sir-" I started, but quickly stopped and looked down at the table at the stern look he gave her, talking to Rose continued to get to her head, she had to constantly relearn her place.

"Now, no need to do that" The Doctor told Mr Dickens and I gave him a small smile, before blushing when he winked at me "Besides, I love a good medium"

Mr Dickens scoffed again, but finally fell silent.

"Speak to us" Gwyneth commanded to the air, closing her eyes "Are you there? Spirits come. Speak to us that we may relieve your burden"

Only a couple of moments after the words left her lips did th whispering start, but taking a quick glance around I saw that no one at the table was speaking. I looked around the room curiously, but could see nothing different other than the gas lams flickering.

"Can you hear that?" Rose asked Mr Dickens, looking rather smug that he was getting proved wrong.

"Nothing can happen" Mr Dickens repeated, making me frown. How could he manage to deny what is right in front of him? "This is sheer folly"

"Look at her" Rose told him, nodding towards Gwyneth.

Gwyneth immediately stole my attention, and I gasped slightly when I looked at her. her head was tipped back with her eyes closed, mumbling under her breath and I could feel her hand trembling beneath my own.

I tightened my grip on Gwyneth's hand, hoping to lend her some of her strength.

"I see them. I feel them." Gwyneth called.

I looked up, only to gasp when I saw blue gas tendrils, the same sort that had possessed the corpses, beginning to drift above our heads.

"What is it saying?" Rose asked quietly.

I tilted my head to the side to listen better, but all she could hear was the faint whispering of thousands and thousands of voices, unable to distinguish words.

"They can't get through the rift" The Doctor told everyone and I looked at him curiously, wondering how he could hear what they were saying. The Doctor turned to Gwyneth "Gwyneth, it's not controlling you, you're controlling it. Now, look deep. Allow them through"

"I can't!" Gwyneth exclaimed and I tightened my hand on my best friend's hand and shuffled my chair as close to her as I could get without letting go of Mr Dickens' hand.

"Yes, you can" The Doctor told her firmly "Just believe it. Gwyneth, make the link"

Gwyneth shook her head.

"Gwyneth, you can do it. I have faith in you, we all do" I told her softly.

"Yes" Gwyneth breathed and trembled slightly.

I looked with wide eyes at two blue outlines of people who appeared behind my friend. The outline began to darken, before they turned into two misty shadows.

"Great God!" Mr Sneed exclaimed looking at the two figures with a slack jaw "Spirits from the other side"

"The other side of the universe" The Doctor put in with a nod.

The figures began to speak, their voices high, almost child-like, and Gwyneth spoke with them. "Pity us. Pity the Gelth. There is so little time. Help us" the Gelth/Gwyneth said.

"What do you want us to do?" The Doctor asked, letting go of Gwyneth and Rose's hands so that he could face the Gelth.

I released Mr Dickens' hand, but I kept a quite grip on Gwyneth, wanting to let her friend know that she was there.

"The rift. Take the girl to the rift. Make the bridge" The Gelth/Gwyneth replied.

"What for?" I asked, rather suspiciously, I didn't want anything to happen to my friend and I didn't like how they referred to her as 'the girl'.

"We are so very few. The last of our kind. We face extinction" The Gelth/Gwyneth told her.

My eyes narrowed at those words, my suspicion of the Gelth increasing. When the whispering began I could hear thousands upon thousands of the creatures, how could that be few in number? Either their meaning of few was different than her own, or I supposed it was possible if they were indeed from the other side of the universe, or they were lying.

"Why, what happened?" The Doctor asked the Gelth and Clary noticed that his and the other's attention was solely on them, Mr Sneed's expression one of fear, Mr Dickens' of wonder, Roses of interest and the Doctor's one of sympathy, clearly none of them had the suspicions that I had.

"Once we had physical form like you, but then the war came" The Gelth/Gwyneth replied.

"War? What war?" The Doctor asked urgently, obviously recognising something in the words.

"The Time War. The whole universe convulsed. The Time War raged. Invisible to smaller species, but devastating to higher forms. Our bodies wasted away. We're trapped in this gaseous state" The Gelth/Gwyneth explained.

"So that's why you need the corpses" I realised and the Doctor looked at me with an impressed look and I blushed slightly.

"We want to stand tall, to feel the sunlight, to live again. We need a physical form and your dead are abandoned. They're going to waste. Give them to us" The Gelth/Gwyneth pleaded.

"But we can't!" Rose exclaimed, gaining the Doctor's attention.

"Why not?" The Doctor demanded.

"Because it's not respectful!" I cried, not liking the thought of the Gelth taking our dead "how would you feel if some- some- things started walking around in one of your deceased family member's or friend's body?"

"Not decent? Not polite?" The Doctor scoffed to us "It could save their lives"

"Open the rift" The Gelth/Gwyneth said once again "Let the Gelth through. We're dying. Help us. Pity the Gelth"

The two gas-like figures of the Gelth let out a high pitched wail as they dissolved into the air and got sucked back into the gas lamps, and Gwyneth collapsed across the table.

"Gwyneth!" I cried, jumping from my chair to kneel at her side.

"All true" I vaguely heard Mr Dickens tell the Doctor, but I was too worried about my friend to pay much attention, pressing my fingers to her neck and felt immensely relieved when I felt a pulse.

"Are you okay?" Rose asked Gwyneth, shaking her slightly, but she stayed still.

"What's wrong with her? Why isn't she waking up?" I asked Rose desperately, hoping she knew since she seemed to know more about this situation that I did.

I gently pushed Gwyneth's dark hair out of her face and kissed her temple comfortingly, unsure of anything else to do.

Rose just shook her head before commanding, "Help me lift her, we'll lay her on the chaise longue"

I nodded quickly, wrapping my arm around Gwyneth's shoulders, balancing her weight between myself and Rose as we hurriedly carried her to the chaise longue, so that we wouldn't drop her, laying her down gently.

"When she wakes up she can open the rift" the Doctor told us all.

"No, she won't. She doesn't have to do anything." Rose said and I nodded in agreement, I didn't want my best friend getting used in anything.

"She could save them" The Doctor snapped at Rose.

"And hurt herself in the process" Rose said back in the same tone, her eyes narrowed.

The Doctor paused for a moment before saying, "That's a small price to pay"

My eyes narrowed angrily and I walked straight up to the Doctor and slapped him as hard as I could across the cheek. he looked down at my angry brown eyes in shock.

"Don't you dare say that" I ground out "She is my best friend, as far as I'm concerned she is the most important person in the universe and she's all I have left. So just…" I trailed into a murmur "don't you dare"

"Sorry" The Doctor muttered and he at least had the decency to look guilty.

I turned quickly as I heard Gwyneth moan and quickly rushed over to kneel at her side, stoking her black hair, as she slowly opened her brown eyes.

"It's alright" Rose told Gwyneth softly, and I felt glad that at least one other person in the room cared this much about Gwyneth.

I nodded in agreement and added, "you just sleep"

"But my angels" Gwyneth persisted, sitting up "they came, didn't they? They need me?"

"They do need you, Gwyneth. You're their only chance at survival" The Doctor agreed,

I glared at him angrily, annoyed at his wording. The way he said it, it would of course make Gwyneth want to help. I just couldn't help but feel suspicions of the unknown creatures.

"I've told you, and Clary's told you, just leave her alone. She's exhausted and she's not fighting your battles" Rose snapped, glaring at the Doctor as she handed Gwyneth a glass of water "drink this"

"Well, what did you say, Doctor? Explain it again. What are they?" Mr Sneed asked, turning to the Doctor expectantly.

"Aliens" The Doctor stated,

"Like foreigners, you mean?" I asked, feeling rather confused, as I had missed the first explanation feeling too concerned for Gwyneth.

"Pretty foreign, yeah" The Doctor replied in a rather condescending tone, making me bristle, feeling rather annoyed that he was treating me like a child. "From up there" The Doctor said pointing upwards.

"Brecon?" Mr Sneed asked.

"Close" The Doctor said, but I suspected he was being condescending again "and they've been trying to get through from…Brecon…to Cardiff but the road's blocked. Only a few can get through and even then they're weak. They can only test drive the bodies for so long, then they have to revert and hide in the pipes"

"Which is why they need the girl" Mr Dickens concluded, and I glared at him for not for his wording. She was my best friend not 'the girl'.

"They're not having her" Rose snapped loudly and I nodded in agreement.

"But she can help" the Doctor said pleadingly, looking at Rose and I with eyes that held more pain than they had a right to "Living on the rift, she's become part of it. She can open it up, make a bridge and let them through"

"Incredible" Mr Dickens breathed "Ghosts that are not ghosts but beings from another world, who can only exist in our world by inhabiting cadavers"

"Good system" The Doctor nodded, smiling at Mr Dickens "It might work"

"You can't just let them run around dead people!" Rose exclaimed.

"Why not? It's like recycling" The Doctor told Rose.

I frowned at the unknown concept. What was recycling? Maybe it was another alien concept. I felt more out of my element than I ever had before and it was making me feel rather stupid being around the Doctor and Rose.

"Seriously though, you can't" Rose told the Doctor firmly.

"Seriously though, I can" The Doctor stated challengingly.

"It's just wrong" Rose shook her head "Those bodies were living people. We should respect them even in death"

The Doctor seemed exasperated now and said "Do you carry a donor card?"

"That's different" Rose said in annoyance "That's-"

"It's different, yeah" the Doctor rolled his eyes "its different morality. Get used to it or go home. You heard what they said, times short. I can't worry about a few corpses when the last of the Gelth could be dying"

"Are you even sure it's the last of the Gelth, sir?" I spoke up challengingly "those whispers, they sounded like thousands of voices, that is hardly few in number"

The Doctor shook his head, "it could just be the echoes of the rift, or it could just be the way they talk. We don't know"

"I don't care either way." Rose said "They're not using her"

"Don't I get a say, miss?" Gwyneth's voice sounded suddenly, making me whirl around to face my friend.

"Of course you do" I said, just as Rose said "Look, you don't understand what's going on"

Gwyneth gave me a smiled before turning to Rose "You would say that, miss, because it's very clear inside your head, that you think I'm stupid"

"That's not fair" Rose shook her head.

"It's true though" I said quietly, thinking about how Rose and the Doctor spoke in a way that left the rest of us out of the loop, and how Rose asked if we went to school.

"Things might be very different where you're from" Gwyneth told her "but right here and now, I know my own mind, and the angels need me. Doctor, what do I have to do?"

"You don't have to do anything?" The Doctor told her, and I looked at him in surprise at his sudden change.

"They've been singing to me since I was a child, sent by my mum on a holy mission. So tell me" Gwyneth said determinately as she stood up, and I steadied her when she swayed slightly.

The Doctor studied her for a moment, before he nodded. I guessed he concluded that he was ready to help. I supposed I couldn't be too angry at the Doctor for wanting to use someone to save another race, but I just wish that someone wasn't Gwyneth.

"We need to find the rift. This house is on a weak spot, so there must be a spot that's weaker than any other. Mr Sneed, what's the weakest part of this house? The place where most of the Ghost have been?" the Doctor asked quickly, and from the look on his face I could see that he was in his element, being in charge and saving people, it was no wonder Rose felt safe around him.

"That would be the morgue" Mr Sneed said thoughtfully.

"No chance you were going to say gazebo, is there?" Rose groaned.

***PAGE BREAK***

I shivered slightly as I stood in the cold morgue, looking sadly at all the recently departed laying on metal tables under crisp white sheets. I knew death was a part of life, but I didn't like being this close to it.

Would all these bodies soon be rising again, only this time the body of a Gelth?

I shivered again, but this time not from the cold, but rather at the thought, remembering how the Gelth filled body when Rose and I were locked in the room with them.

"Ugh. Talk about Bleak House" The Doctor said and I didn't even try to understand what he meant, too used to the Doctor and Rose saying things that were so out of this world by now.

"The thing is, Doctor, the Gelth don't succeed. I know they don't. I know for a fact there weren't corpses walking around in 1869" Rose said.

"Time's in flux" The Doctor explained "changing every second. Your cosy little world can be rewritten like that" the Doctor snapped his fingers "Nothing is safe. Remember that. Nothing"

"What a comforting thought" I breathed, looking at the corpses wearily, almost expecting them to start walking randomly.

"Doctor, I think the rooms getting colder" Mr Dickens remarked.

I paused for a second and notice he was right, Goosebumps appeared on my arms and moved closer to Gwyneth as I shivered.

"Here they come" Rose murmured and I turned to that the gas lamps had started flickering again, adding to the creepy atmosphere of the morgue.

Blue tendrils quickly came from the lamp, and a lot quicker than before, formed a blue gaseous figure of a Gelth under the stone archway.

"You've come to help. Praise the Doctor. Praise him" The Gelth cried, still using that high child-like voice.

"Promise you won't hurt her" Rose ordered, pointing a threatening finger at the Gelth.

"Hurry!" The Gelth pleaded "Please, so little time. Pity the Gelth"

I bit my lip looking worriedly at the Gelth and then at Gwyneth. I couldn't help but notice that the Gelth didn't respond to Rose's words. They gave us no information about them whatsoever, and whether it was dangerous or not, or whether they were lying I wasn't sure, but I did know they were hiding something.

"I'll take you somewhere else after the transfer" The Doctor said and I sighed in relief that he was coming up with an alternative solution to the Gelth wandering around town in front of people who may have known the person whose body the Gelth is inhibiting "Somewhere you can build proper bodies. This isn't a permanent solution, alright?"

"My angels, I can help them live" Gwyneth cried happily and pulled me into an excited hug.

I hugged my friend back tightly, but looked over her shoulder at the Gelth nervously, a pit growing in my stomach.

"Okay, where's the weak point?" The Doctor asked.

"Here, beneath the arch" The Gelth said hurriedly, gesturing.

"Beneath the arch" Gwyneth agreed, pulling her hand from the tight grip I had been holding it in since our hug and went to stand beneath the arch.

"You don't have to do this" Rose told Gwyneth and I nodded urgently, hoping against hope that she would change her mind.

"Mr Angels!" Gwyneth cried, closing her eyes.

"Establish the bridge. Reach out to the void. Let us through!" The Gelth cried.

"Yes, I can see you" Gwyneth breathed "I can see you. Come!"

"Bridgehead establishing," The Gelth stated.

"Come to me. Come to this world you poor lost souls!" Gwyneth said a soft smile on her face.

"It has begun. The bridge is made!" The Gelth shouted.

I covered my mouth to stifle a cry of shock when Gwyneth opened her mouth and blue gas tendrils began to escape her mouth. The speed of them emerging increasing rapidly.

"Gwyneth!" I exclaimed, horrified for my friend, I couldn't even fathom how it would feel to have Gelth flowing through you as your mind is in the 'void'.

I moved forward to attempt to pull my friend from the arch, or at least comfort her, not liking what was happening. I couldn't imagine that it was having no effect of Gwyneth, but the Doctor held me back.

"She has given herself to the Gelth" The Gelth said and I bit my lip and glance at the Doctor, that didn't seem good.

I gasped in horror as the sweet, blue apparition slowly turns a flame red and developed sinister sharp teeth, giving it a rather evil look.

"The bridge is open. We descend." The Gelth said, its voice deeper and harder, nothing like the child-like voice from before "The Gelth will come through with force"

I sniffled slightly as tears began to burn my tan cheeks as the blue gas exploded from my friend, quickly filling the room, swirling around the ceiling, and they just kept coming, and coming.

"You said that you were few in number!" Mr Dickens exclaimed.

"A few billion. And all of us need corpses" The Gelth replied.

I backed away to stand closer to Rose, and the dead began to rise, sitting up on the tables so that the sheets fell, with a bright blue glow filling their eyes and surrounding their bodies.

"Gwyneth, stop this. Listen to your master." Mr Sneed pleaded, moving forward to stand in front of her "This has gone far enough. Stop dabbling, child, and leave these things alone, I beg you"

"Mr Sneed, get back!" I cried, as the corpses advanced.

I was too late. I closed my eyes tightly as one of the Gelth filled corpses reached Mr Sneed, but I still heard the sickening snap as it broke his neck.

When I opened my eyes again, I was no longer looking at Mr Sneed, as another Gelth had invaded his body, filling him with the now familiar blue glow.

"I think it's gone a bit wrong" The Doctor said and I glared at him, I had tried to tell him it was wrong, that the Gelth were not 'few in number' like they had claimed.

I would tell him I told him so, but I supposed that what was now happening was already bad and the guilt he probably felt was punishment enough.

"I have joined the legion of the Gelth" 'Mr Sneed' said in the Gelth's deep, hard voice "Come, march with us"

"No" Mr Dickens snapped, backing away from the Gelth in the opposite direction to me, Rose and the Doctor.

"We need bodies. All of you. Dead. The human race. Dead" the Gelth said as they continued to approach.

I gasped as I almost tripped over my dress in an attempt to back away quicker and had to grab onto Rose's arm and hike up my dress.

"Gwyneth, stop them!" I shouted desperately, quickly swiping away my tears at the awful situation.

"Send them back now!" the Doctor called.

"Four more bodies. Convert them. make them vessels for the Gelth" the first Gelth that had come though the rift ordered.

I gripped Rose's hand tightly in my own as the two of us and the Doctor quickly backed away, 'Mr Sneed' and the other corpses advancing. I yelped fearfully as my back hit a metal gate, knowing that we couldn't back away further.

"Clary, I'm sorry" Mr Dickens said from the other side of the room.

I looked to see that he was by the door and was about to leave, I gave him a shaky smile. I didn't need him to die for me; he had been kind enough to give me a home.

"Doctor, I can't. this new world of yours is too much for me. I'm so-" I suspected he was about to apologize to the Doctor, but the Gelth advanced on him and he ran from the room before he could finish.

The Doctor grabbed Rose and pulled her behind the metal gate, Rose pulling me too. The three of us pressed our backs against the brick wall, Rose in between The Doctor and I, as the Gelth began to reach forward, pushing their arms through the bars.

I breathed heavily, my heart pounding in my chest as one of the corpses took a swipe at the air in front of me.

"Give yourself to glory. Sacrifice your lives for the Gelth" The Gelth demanded.

"I trusted you. I pitied you!" The Doctor shouted angrily.

"Not while I'm alive" The Doctor said coldly, shaking his head.

"Then live no more" The Gelth told him.

"But I can't die. Tell me I can't" Rose said pleadingly to the Doctor "I haven't been born yet. It's impossible for me to die. Isn't it?"

I frowned, looking at her curiously, but she was looking at the Doctor with pleading blue eyes. He hasn't been born yet? What does that mean? That she's from the future? After everything that had happened today I wouldn't be surprised if that was true. It would certainly explain why they said thing that didn't make sense to me.

"I'm sorry" The Doctor told Rose quietly.

"But it's 1869. How can I die now?" Rose insisted.

"Time isn't in a straight line. It can twist into any shape. You can be born in the twentieth century and die in the nineteenth and it's my entire fault" The Doctor explained sadly and I felt as though I was intruding on a private moment.

"It's not your fault" Rose told him tearfully, her hand squeezing mine harder as she talked "I wanted to come"

"What about me?" The Doctor gave a humourless laugh "I saw the fall of Troy, World War Five. I pushed boxes at the Boston Tea Party. Now 'm going to die in a dungeon in Cardiff"

"The way you both talk" I shook my head with a watery laugh "If we survive this I'd very much like to see the world like you do, go traveling, just once"

"Clary Fabray, if we survive this you can stay with us forever" The Doctor ginned and I gave him a sad smile.

"We'll all go down fighting, yes?" I asked, taking a deep breath, glancing at the Corpses and shifting slightly when one of them nearly grabbed my brown curls.

"Yeah" the Doctor replied with a grim smile as Rose nodded.

"Together?" Rose asked, holding up hers and the Doctor's joined hands.

"Together" I agreed, holding up my hand that was tightly gripped Rose's.

"I'm glad I met you two" I told the Doctor and Rose "Even if it is to cause my death, I am glad to see part of another world, even if it's just a glimpse"

"Us too" Rose and the Doctor smiled.

"Doctor! Doctor!" Mr Dickens voice called suddenly.

My head snapped forward to see Mr Dickens running towards us, holding a handkerchief to his mouth and nose and turning up gas lamps as he did.

"Turn off the flame, turn up the gas! Now, fill the room, all ot it, now!" ME Dickens shouted.

My eyes widened in realisation with what he was doing. The creatures were made of gas, if they turned it up, they would be sucked out of the body and returned to their original state.

I quickly turned to the gas lamp by my head and blew out the flame, turning up the nozzle to cause the gas level to increase.

"What're you doing?" The Doctor asked, but still turned off another lamp.

"Turn it all on" Mr Dickens repeated "flood the place"

"Brilliant. Gas!" The Doctor exclaimed as he realised what was happening.

"What, so we choke to death instead?" Rose asked in confusion, coughing as she put her hand over her nose and mouth.

"Am I correct, Doctor?" Mr Dickens asked with a pleased smile "These creatures are gaseous"

"Fill the room with gas, it'll draw them out of the bodies" I added.

The Doctor nodded "sucks them into the air like poison from a wound"

The Gelth all let out sharp shrieks and the corpses stiffened their movement even more sluggish. I quickly rushed to Mr Dickens' side, Rose and the Doctor behind me.

"I hope, oh Lord, I hope that this theory will be validate soon, if not immediately" Mr Dickens told us desperately.

"Plenty more" The Doctor grinned, and forcefully pulled a gas pipe from the wall and the Gelth finally left the corpses, which fell to the ground with a clank.

"It's working!" I cried in relief.

The corpses all let out another shriek as the blue gas slowly began to exit the bodies. Finally the bodies let out a scream and the gas quickly escaped from the bodies mouths and they dropped to the ground as the Gelth swirled around the room, once again in a gaseous state.

I stepped forward with Rose and the Doctor slightly, making sure that the corpses weren't going to rise again, before quickly rushing to Gwyneth's side, the Doctor right behind me.

"Gwyneth, send them back. they lied. They're not angels" The Doctor told her firmly.

"Liars?" Gwyneth asked tearfully and my heart clenched.

"I'm so sorry, Gwyneth" I breathed as a tear slid down my cheek, mirroring that of one of Gwyneth's own tears.

"Look at me" I told her, putting a hand on either side of Gwyneth's face so that their brown eyes met, "If your mother and father could look down and see this, they would tell you the same"

"Now send them back!" the Doctor called, and I let out a cough as gas filled my lungs, but I didn't move from Gwyneth's side.

"I can't breathe" I heard Rose choke out behind me, but I didn't turn from Gwyneth.

Her eyes were unfocused and her face pale, the only colour her red rimmed eyes from the tears falling down her face.

"Charles, get her out!" The Doctor ordered over his shoulder and Mr Dickens hurriedly took Rose from the morgue.

I moved out of the way slightly as the Doctor stepped forward.

"Gwyneth, remember that world you saw? Rose's world? All those people? None of that will exist unless you send them back through the rift" The Doctor told her urgently.

"They're too strong" Gwyneth shook her head and another tear slipped down her cheek "I can't send them back, but I can hold them. Hold them in place, hold them here, get out" Gwyneth told us as she pulled a box of matches from her apron.

"Gwyneth, you can't!" I exclaimed desperately.

"Come on, leave that to me" The Doctor said, holding out his hand to take the matches, but Gwyneth didn't move.

"Then we shall die together" I told my best friend determinately, holding out my hand, but still Gwyneth didn't move.

My brows furrowed. Why wasn't see responding? She looked as though she couldn't even hear them anymore. The Doctor put a finger on Gwyneth's neck, checking for a pulse, and I looked at him curiously, she was standing, she was clearly alive.

"I'm sorry. She's already dead." The Doctor whispered to me and I felt as though my heart stopped at his words, and I let out another cough as more gas filled my lungs.

I let out a sob as more tears began to fall down my cheeks.

The Doctor was lying. He had to be. Gwyneth was alive, she was, I knew it. She wouldn't leave me. Not without saying goodbye.

"But she can't be" I sobbed, shaking my head in denial "we've been talking to her"

"I'm sorry" The Doctor repeated "but we need to leave"

I nodded absently, feeling rather numb, not even noticing the gas that was constantly filling my lunged as I breathed.

I stepped forward and pressed a kiss to my friend's forehead.

"I'm so sorry, my friend" I told Gwyneth softly "thank you"

The Doctor quickly grabbed my hand and ran hurriedly to the door, and I spared a glance back at my dead best friend, who gave me a soft smile as she took out a match.

I ran out of the front door and the Doctor tugged me forward to stand with Rose and Mr Dickens as KABOOM, the house exploded into flames. The snow around the house melted straight away and I could feel the heat of the flames, as I coughed trying to get some fresh air.

I choked on a sob, tears falling relentlessly down my cheeks and I grabbed my chest, my heart feeling like it was shattering, the shards cutting my insides. Gwyneth was dead, I could no longer deny is. She was all I had, and now she was gone.

"She didn't make it" Rose breathed and she pulled me into a hug murmuring "I'm so sorry"

I buried my face into her neck, sobbing so hard it felt like I was bringing up my insides. I could feel my tears wetting her neck and my brown curls sticking to my wet cheeks, but I couldn't bring myself to care. My best friend was dead.

"I'm sorry. She closed the rift" The Doctor told Rose.

"At such a cost" I heard Mr Dickens say "The poorchild"

"Gwyneth was already dead" The Doctor told Rose and Mr Dickens "she had been for at least five minutes.

"What do you mean?" Rose asked shakily and I felt her tense, her arms tightening around me as she did.

"I think she was dead from the minute she stood in that arch" The Doctor said.

"But she can't have" Rose denied "she spoke to us. She helped us. She saved us. How could she have done that?"

"There are more things in heaven and earth that are dreamt of in your philosophy. Even for you, Doctor" Mr Dickens said.

"She saved the world" Rose breathed, hugging me tighter "A servant girl and no one will ever know"

I took a deep breath and pulled away from Rose, wiping my wet cheeks, but more tears fell wetting them again.

"We'll know" I said softly, my voice slightly croaky from the crying and I felt like I had been hit in the face as my nose was blocked and my eyes stung "Like I said, she was the most important person in the universe"

***PAGE BREAK***

I was walking down the street with Mr Dickens, The Doctor and Rose, whose arm was wrapped around my shoulders as I sniffled. Everything in my body hurt, especially my heart. It ached with each beat.

"Would you still like to see other worlds, Clary Fabray?" The Doctor asked as we neared a blue police box that was in the middle of the street. it was funny, I couldn't remember that ever being there.

I thought for a moment. I didn't have anything left for me here now that Gwyneth was gone, and while Rose and the Doctor were talking Mr Dickens told me he was planning on going back to London to be with his family and that I was welcome to come, but I would feel as though I was intruding.

"I think I would, if you would have me" I sniffed, wiping more tears from my cheeks, only for them to be replaced with more.

"Well, we did promise" Rose smiled, bringing me closer in a one armed hug and squeezing my shoulder.

"Rose why don't you take Clary into the TARDIS while I talk to Charles, she should show you to a room" The Doctor told Rose, who nodded and began to lead me towards the police box.

I looked at her curiously, wondering why we were going towards a telephone book, but Rose just gave me a grin.

She let go of me and pushed the door open and I gasped, my eyes widening in wonder. It was bigger on the inside. The outside was just the small blue wooden box, but the inside was huge.

Rose stepped inside and I stepped after her curiously.

It was beautiful, the whole room gave off a faint golden glow, there were columns made of what looked like coral, the floor was made of metal grates and there was a beaten up chair by the railings, but nevertheless it was truly wonderful.

The controls were the most beautiful there was a glass tube at the centre with a glowing blue object inside, and the controls were made of different bits and bobs, different levers and knobs and buttons.

"This is the TARDIS" Rose explained with a smile, leading me down a hallway "it stands for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space. It's the Doctor's space ship. It can also travel in time. It's not just a machine, it's alive, so if you ask it something, it should help you. Watch. Can you please give us a room for Clary?" Rose asked.

I watched in as the wall in front of me began to twist and move before a door formed, with 'Clary' written across it.

"Here we go" Rose smiled, and pushed the door open.

I gasped as I stepped inside. The room was stunning. The walls were a burnt orange with a border of small silver leaved trees. The carpet was a deep red, and the furniture, a wardrobe, desk, bookshelf and bed, was silver and the bedspread was dark purple.

"Wow" Rose breathed, looking about the room in awe, just like I was, before she shook her head "I'll just go and get you something to sleep in okay.

When rose game back she gave me a what she called 'a tank top and sweats', they were really strange to me, but I was to exhausted from my grief to care to much, and I had fallen asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.

***PAGE BREAK***

_**Third person P.O.V**_

After the Doctor had said goodbye to Mr Dickens, watching his laughing face on the monitor as he watched on the monitor, he moved down one of the hallways of the TARDIS and knocked softly on the room with Rose's name on it, before poking his head in the doorway.

Rose's room was exactly like the one she had back home, a pink bedspread on the double bed at the centre of the room, a small wardrobe, dressing table and desk and purple walls.

The red dress Rose had been wearing was lying across her bed and Rose was sitting at her dressing table wearing a tank top and sweats as she tied her blonde hair into plaits.

"Hi" Rose greeted with a smile.

"How's Clary?" The Doctor asked as he entered the room, closing the door behind him.

Rose's smile dropped.

"She's terrible; she just lost her best friend." Rose said sadly, slumping into the chair at her dressing table "she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow; she's exhausted, probably from all the crying. Hopefully seeing the different worlds will get her mind off of it"

"Yeah, hopefully" the Doctor smiled.

He turned towards the dress on her bed and stroked the material softly, recognition lighting in his brown eyes. His chest tightened as he recalled where the dress came from, how he hadn't realised before was a mystery to him, he supposed it was just because she looked nothing like Rose.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked concerned, but the Doctor didn't look up from the dress.

"This dress…I just realised where it came from" The Doctor said slowly "it was my…it was my friend's, my best friend's"

Rose scanned the Doctor's face for a moment seeing an unknown look in his ancient eyes, before her own eyes widened as she realised what the look was.

"You love her" she stated and the Doctor nodded glumly.

"She was a Time Lady; we had met when we were only twenty. She hated me at first, but we made up when we were around fifty or so." The Doctor said "she had worn this when we were only two hundred and fifty. We were so young"

"Oh yes, so young" Rose teased, hoping to lighten the mood, and the Doctor gave a small smile, but it dropped just as quickly.

"Young for a Time Lord. Back then she had ruby red hair, the same colour as our red planet, her eyes were an emerald green and she had freckles across her nose." The Doctor said with a reminiscent smile, "Stars, she was beautiful. I never did tell her how I felt, too much of a coward I guess, I borrowed a TARDIS and went t0o see the stars straight out of the academy"

"Did you ever see her again"? Rose asked softly, feeling bad for the Time Lord.

"Yeah, like I said, we were two hundred and fifty and she was wearing this dress. I was so happy when she visited, I was happy when she even looked at me, but what she was there for…" the Doctor swallowed hard "it broke my hearts"

"What was she there for?" Rose whispered.

"She was getting married. To a Time Lord she had met in the Gardens where she worked" The Doctor said sadly.

"What happened then?" Rose asked.

"Well, she got married and had kids and soon I did too, I moved on, but I don't thinking I ever stopped loving her. But then came the Time War" the Doctor said darkly "she burned with everyone else"

"I'm so sorry" Rose said, holding the Doctor's hand in her own, as she looked at him with wet eyes, she couldn't even imagine the pain he must have felt, and still feel.

The Doctor stared at her carpeted floor for a moment before he forced a grin.

"No matter, it's in the past, you get to bed and I will start trying to decide where to go next. Clary's first trip, it will have to be fantastic!" The Doctor grinned and rushed from the room.

Rose heaved a sigh and slumped down onto her bed, picking up the red dress and looking at it sadly. She felt slightly jealous of the fact that the Doctor had once loved his best friend and been married, but it was nothing compares to the sympathy and pity she felt for him. She couldn't even begin to help the Doctor through what he was going through; he always pushed down his feelings.

It was one of the few times the Doctor actually opened up, and it was over just as quickly.


End file.
